Not averse to tying up with Left after polls: Antony

The Congress, which may need the backing of more allies to come back to power and keep the BJP out, on Saturday hinted at possibilities of looking to the Left again.

Senior Congressman and defence minister AK Antony said the Left was not untouchable for his party, although he ruled out a pre-poll alliance, keeping the possibilities of a tie-up open after the Lok Sabha polls.

The Left and the Congress was already cooperating on issues of larger interest to the country, Antony said.

The defence minister, who launched the valedictory session of the 125th anniversary of the Malayalam daily 'Deepika', said, “There would not be any pre-poll alliance with the Left though Congress does not consider the Left as untouchable. But I cannot predict the scenario after the elections.”

"There would not be any pre-poll alliance with the Left though Congress does not consider the Left as untouchable. But I cannot predict the scenario after the elections," he told reporters.

Antony ruled out Lok Sabha polls advanced before they were due early next year. "No one need to expect interim elections. Elections will be held only next year,” Antony said.